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Friday, March 9, 2018

How to be a Semi-Crafty Mama (7QT)

Despite the title, how to be a semi-crafty Mama, this will be somewhat random of a 7 quick takes... bear with me! #ohyeah #sotight

~1~
Trip to Nashville

Over the weekend, I surprised my Grandma with a quick trip to her nursing home in Nashville. It is only two hours away, so I went there and back again in one day! I hit the book jackpot, which I'll tell you about in a minute, but guys, this is just another example of how you 1) give up your agenda and 2) give up shopping... and God gives back, more abundantly than we deserve and expect and definitely shows up in the resurrection moments of life. #lenthasaredletterday

~2~
Thoughts on Homeschooling

As I mentioned, Stephen and I are spending the season of Lent praying over whether or not to homeschool our kids next year. Right now we're looking into the Seton method. Avoiding a comedy of errors, there are so many issues to work through, so we continue to crave prayers about it. Should we keep one in school? Should we do it for one year then re-evaluate? Should we plan to put them back in next Fall or wait and see? Should we invest in an accredited curriculum program? How will we know how long we'll need it? Should we get uniforms? (Everyone knows this is the most important question when it comes to homeschooling). My favorite parenting moments have to do with seeing them all playing together and hearing one yell out, "Pause the game! I have to *insert break here*" It is cute to think of them doing an hour of work and many more hours playtime. :) Again, if you are going through any suffering, it would be SO SO appreciated if you offer it up for us at this time. It feels like a HUGE decision.

~3~
Crafting with Kids

Every year during the Easter Octave (the first 8 days of the 50-day period of Easter), I do some Spring and Easter/Egg - themed crafts with my kids.
Last year, we combined the crafts with fun snacks everyday.
This was the first year we did an Easter Art Camp.

Here are some of the ideas I have tucked away for this years' Easter-- I can't wait! *And neither can my kiddos.*

I have sooooooo many thoughts on the Oscars. I LOVE watching the Academy Award every year. I find it so tremendously interesting. But this year seemed to be a bomb and I think the most recent Pop Culture Happy Hour episode from NPR on the awards show confirmed my suspicions that even if we had watched many of the nominated movies, it still wouldn't have been super-interesting to watch this year.

And--- Ya'll. Hilarious is the name of our game, :) and that is exactly what it feels like to watch an entire Oscars program with having only seen ONE of the films nominated for Best Picture and maybe three films mentioned at the award ceremony. Stephen and I saw Dunkirk and found it RIDICULOUSLY funny that they won for sound editing and sound mixing, because we hated the soundtrack. Stephen liked the movie more than I did... but even he found it boring. Despite being an all-star cast, I thought the acting was weak. It felt so fake to me. I'm glad to have heard it was well-received by the academy, though, because it tells an important story and Stephen and I were both glad to learn more about this historical event.

I also saw The Greatest Showman and I appreciated the performance of the song from that. I want to see : Coco, The Shape of Water, and Ladybird.

~5~
Sufjan Stevens

I had to open my hands and release into the world my college-days idolization of Sufjan Stevens' whispery voice and amazing banjo playing skills, when he took the Oscars stage (or rose up from the ashes- HA). I was confused. Wait-- what is this song about? So I looked up the lyrics and I have to say

Going back to my trip up to Nashville... I made a priority and worked out alllll of the logistics to stop at Parnassus Books on Saturday (owned by Ann Patchett) where I bought a signed copy of her book This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. I then was driving around nearby where my Grandma was staying, and I found a Book Sale just by seeing a sign by the side of the road. I stopped, went in, and I found myself at the Franklin Public Library (Williamson County), where all books were a dollar. I scored- it was literally book heaven - and I felt like I had hit the jackpot and won the lottery... that's how happy books make me!!!

it felt especially SPECIAL since I had been saving myself

~7~
Craft Supplies

I gave up shopping for Lent, but it has been a good opportunity to get ourselves organized. I bought this art bin about a year ago, and I have really enjoyed using my supplies now that they have a modicum of organization. The minutiae of craft supplies has come into glaring focus (I have ten pairs of scissors, for example) and NOT shopping has been the best thing to ever come along for my crafting habit. #everythingfeelsmoreorganized

Lent is only three more weeks-three weeks from today is Good Friday! How can you up the ante to make sure you are sacrificing everyday during this penitential season? I have noticed that I have more joy when I work with God rather than against God. I have to keep rolling with the everyday changes of life- kids getting bigger, seasons changing, myself getting older, demands perhaps getting stronger, the pull of daily mass or holiness becoming irresistible. I have to work *with* God and then I see fruit and bear fruit. Maybe this book could help our family? (maybe, maybe not?)

What are you must-haves when it comes to crafting and especially if gearing up for a season of heaving craft lifting (aka Easter octave?!)